Another Breakthrough

Li Yi stretched his somewhat stiff face, rubbing it gently until his expression relaxed a bit. Then he chuckled bitterly, "Old Coot... you've made such a grand display, aren't you afraid your old friend will find out?" The Snake Venerable replied indifferently, "No worries, I snatched this technique from someone else years ago and never used it. Even if he senses its aura, he won't associate it with me."

Li Yi slapped his face and shook his head, "Then why did you turn this place into such a spectacle? Aren't you worried that people in Wanchao City will find out?" The Snake Venerable sneered, "A Baihu level technique, when practiced, is bound to shock the heavens and terrify ghosts and spirits. Unless you hide in deep mountains and forests, how do you plan to keep it a secret? But considering your current situation, you probably don't have time to retreat into the mountains, do you? I used this technique to show you its power, and secondly, as a warning. Otherwise, while you're practicing, some reckless youngsters might barge in, and that's not what you'd want, right?" Li Yi shook his head, somewhat speechless. Given the momentum and pressure released by the Snake Venerable just now, any sane person wouldn't dare to approach. So, although it was somewhat arrogant, it actually reduced the chances of others disturbing Li Yi during his training. After all, the Snake Venerable's display had declared the presence of a supreme powerhouse in Wanchao City.

"Enough talk, focus your mind!" The Snake Venerable frowned slightly and flicked a red fighting spirit onto Li Yi's forehead. Immediately, a torrent of consciousness engulfed Li Yi's mind. "Blood Moon Kuanggang, Baihu junior-level fighting technique! Form the shape with fighting spirit, create Kuanggang with Qi, when shape and Kuanggang unite, the Blood Moon is formed! Once the Blood Moon appears, heaven and earth weep!" This simple introduction, without any exaggeration of the technique's power, had already made Li Yi's heart shudder. He was deeply impressed by the Snake Venerable's demonstration.

Seeing Li Yi's expression, the Snake Venerable said lightly, "You're quite lucky, kid. Among the many Baihu level techniques, Blood Moon Kuanggang is relatively easy to practice. But it has a strict prerequisite: the cultivator's fighting spirit must contain bloodthirsty Qi... And coincidentally, the bloodthirsty Qi in the Demonic Nine Transformations you practice is top-notch in the world. Therefore, this technique is most suitable for you... However, it's not easy to practice..."

Here, the Snake Venerable's face showed a hint of a cunning smile, "Did you see the hole I left in the mountain?" Li Yi glanced at the hole in the mountain and swallowed hard, "I saw it clearly..."

"And those blood-colored lightning, you think they look good, right?" Li Yi chuckled bitterly, sensing something amiss, but still nodded, "Good... looks good..."

"Good then," the Snake Venerable smiled, "From today onwards, you will practice in that hole. Remember, during practice, your fighting spirit can only protect your heart meridians, not your flesh. Those blood-colored lightnings, once they touch you, you must find a way to refine them and make them your own... When you've successfully refined all the blood-colored lightning, then you will be qualified to practice Blood Moon Kuanggang. If you can't get past this hurdle, you probably won't be able to use Blood Moon Kuanggang. Kid... I've put so much effort into preparing this environment for you, don't waste it..."

Nodding slightly and looking at the thick lightning flowing like serpents, Li Yi couldn't help but say, "If that thing enters my body, will I be electrocuted directly..."

"Probably," the Snake Venerable smiled faintly, "Or else did you think Baihu level techniques are easy to practice? If you can't get past this, even if you forcibly use Blood Moon Kuanggang, your body will probably collapse, won't it?"

"Kid, I've given you the mantra and the method. While refining the blood-colored lightning, you also have to practice the technique. I hope you won't waste my painstaking efforts..." Li Yi's troubled expression gradually faded, and he squinted his eyes, then said softly after a moment, "Old Coot, I just hope that once I master this technique, it will help me fulfill my wish!"

With a faint smile, Li Yi stomped his foot hard, and his figure shot towards the huge hole in the mountain wall. Stepping into the hole, he glanced left and right, the flowing blood-colored electricity making his scalp tingle. Hesitating for a moment, he then lightly jumped into the center of the hole. As soon as his foot landed, the blood-colored lightning, as if sentient, fiercely surged towards Li Yi!

Li Yi, struck by lightning, leaped high in the air! "Ah!" he screamed, as at least ten blood-colored lightnings struck him simultaneously, numbing his body, and his fighting spirit dissipated instantly. Just as he was about to regather his fighting spirit to resist the lightning, the Snake Venerable's voice faintly resounded again, "Kid! Don't resist with fighting spirit! Focus your mind!"

Li Yi grimaced, the tingling sensation making his voice tremble, "Old... Old Coot... you're definitely doing this on purpose!" "Boom—" Another blood-colored lightning struck him, lifting him high again. The Snake Venerable coldly said, "Kid, if you want to be reduced to dust by lightning, feel free to keep talking!"

"Death is not so easy for the young master!" Li Yi suddenly roared angrily. Changing the gesture in his hand, he surprisingly sat cross-legged in mid-air, ignoring the electric currents around him and assuming a meditative posture. "Boom—" No sooner had he settled into his position than he was blasted by lightning again. "You think I'm easy to bully!" With another roar, Li Yi slapped out, sending a thin veil of fighting spirit towards a stream of electricity. But instead of repelling it, the electricity followed his fighting spirit into his body. "Boom—" He was propelled high again. "I refuse to believe this can continue!" "Boom—" The Snake Venerable, floating in mid-air, had a faint smile on his lips. Watching Li Yi struggling with the lightning, he sighed lightly, "Even a Warrior would perish under these circumstances. It seems this kid has grasped some method to deal with the lightning... It looks like I haven't chosen wrong after all!"

"Boom—" As they spoke, Li Yi's body was once again hurled into the air, but this time, he seemed to have a slight control over his body, avoiding more lightning strikes.

......

"Boom—Boom—Boom—" Seven days and nights had passed. The blood-colored lightning continuously struck inside the massive hole. However, upon reaching the center, the lightning strangely slid to the side, as if something was repelling it. Closer inspection revealed a bare-chested youth sitting cross-legged in the middle of the hole, his skin emitting a strange red hue. Most astonishingly, his body seemed to float in the void, gently rippling. Whenever the blood-colored lightning neared him, an invisible red glow would emanate from his body, sliding the lightning away.

"What day is it now..." The cultivating youth muttered, squinting his eyes. The surrounding blood-red lightning offered no answer. He shook his head slightly and closed his eyes to meditate again. As he did, streaks of blood-colored lightning slowly entered through his nostrils and quickly into his meridians. These once-violent lightning streams became somewhat docile within his body, sliding down his meridians. Upon reaching the Qi Sea in his dantian, they were absorbed into the swirling fighting spirit vortex.

This scene realistically spoke of the youth's progress. From initially struggling to dodge the lightning, he had now begun to refine it bit by bit. Of course, refining the blood-colored lightning was initially very taxing, with Li Yi's meridians nearly destroyed several times. But each time, he stubbornly guarded his heart meridians, allowing the blood lightning to rampage within until they calmed down. This process was extremely painful, but it had its uses, strengthening Li Yi's body and building some immunity to the blood-colored lightning. Familiar with their trajectory, he began attempting to refine the lightning, a significant step forward.

The blood-colored lightning was rich in natural energy, and its violent nature matched Li Yi's cultivation technique. As he refined the lightning, his strength unknowingly grew. "This time, let's try something big!" Li Yi sneered suddenly, focusing on a thick, blood-colored lightning not far from him. "Old Coot! I'll accept this grand gift of yours!"

"Sss—" With a slight gesture from Li Yi, a veil of fighting spirit enveloped the blood-colored lightning. The wildly twisting lightning, like a headless fly, found direction upon contact with Li Yi's fighting spirit, slithering towards him like a snake. Li Yi focused his mind, allowing the lightning to enter his body, rampaging through his meridians until it reached the Qi Sea in his dantian. The usually dormant fighting spirit vortex suddenly spun, absorbing the lightning. The lightning tried to escape, but Li Yi grunted, increasing the suction force of the vortex, forcibly pulling the lightning in. Upon contact with the vortex, the black fighting spirit with hints of blood light began to grind on the lightning. Though this lightning was much more potent than the previous smaller ones, Li Yi was well-practiced by now. He enveloped the entire lightning stream with his fighting spirit, grinding it within the vortex. Despite its strength and resistance, under the relentless grinding, the lightning gradually transformed into natural energy, merging into the vortex.

After an indeterminate amount of time, when the blood-colored lightning was fully refined, Li Yi's body shuddered. The fighting spirit vortex contracted and then expanded. Although its size remained unchanged, the blood hue within the vortex had split into two streams, continuously coiling around each other. Li Yi's heart flickered with surprise, but after a moment, he couldn't help but smile softly, whispering, "A breakthrough, at last..."